Bold Campaign Captures Special Moments with Jamaican Rum Wray & Nephew

Jamaican rum brand, Wray & Nephew, has launched its first ever UK-wide above-the-line campaign: Reach for the Wray.

Delivered by creative studio, M&C Saatchi London, the ‘visual tapestry’ will go live in June as OOH ads in three cities across the UK: London, Birmingham and Manchester. Throughout June, six sheet OOH ads of key Reach for the Wray moments from the ‘visual tapestry’ will also be showcased in various locations across London, Birmingham, and Manchester.

As a brand which sits at the heart of Jamaican culture, Wray & Nephew’s new campaign aims to authentically celebrate its community, the unique ways that consumers enjoy its rum, and joyful moments of everyday life - from small gatherings to big celebrations. The campaign visuals are closely inspired by the storytelling of tapestries, depicting various scenarios that capture key Reach for the Wray moments.

The campaign is shot by Jamaican-British creative and photographer Karis Beaumont who is best known for her signature brown tones and emotive style, exploring authenticity and community within her subjects. Beaumont is also the founder of Bumpkin Files, an archive centred around Black life in Britain beyond the London-centric narrative.

The Reach for the Wray ‘visual tapestry’ features several candid moments of familial and communal celebration:

• ‘Family Gathering’ - highlighting the importance of family within Jamaican culture, and how family get-togethers are a moment to celebrate community.
• ‘Black Boy Joy’ - depicting a unified moment of joy amongst Black men, celebrating individual successes - highlighting that a ‘win’ for one is a ‘win’ for all.
• ‘Girls GRWM (Get Ready with Me)’ - a moment of carefree fun amongst female friends, representing the true essence and joy of womanhood.
• ‘Romantic Date’ - a couple on a date in a romantic setting, capturing an intimate and loving moment.
• ‘Relaxed Friend Get-together’ - showcasing a light-hearted moment amongst a diverse group of friends, socialising and enjoying themselves.

For the remainder of the year Wray & Nephew will be working closely with local convenience stores across the UK to distribute campaign materials including visual posters and till advertising screens to further amplify consumer awareness. Wray & Nephew will also be launching a paid social media campaign on Instagram and Facebook going live between 30th May - 31st July.

Bukola Garry, head of cultural impact and business director at M&C Saatchi London, added, “We are proud to partner with Wray & Nephew to launch Reach for the Wray - a campaign showcasing the myriad of opportunities for Wray & Nephew to feature as part of the many moments of celebration – the big and small. In one lens, we presented the heritage, quality and community that are unique to Wray & Nephew.

Wray & Nephew has been at the centre of Jamaican and Black British culture for decades, championing and amplifying Black voices, talent, and local communities. Therefore, it was crucial for the creative to be inspired by core truths that exist within the culture and accurately represent the expansiveness of our experiences.”

Karis Beaumont, photographer and creative director commented, “Leading on the creative development and photography for Reach for the Wray has been a full circle moment for me - I'm a British-born Jamaican woman and Wray & Nephew has been in my family for as long as I can remember. My grandmothers would always have a bottle of rum in their cupboards to make Jamaican black cake (also described as rum cake or fruit cake) for special occasions, such as weddings, Christmas, and birthdays.

Reach for the Wray is a coming home to the core of Wray & Nephew’s brand, elevating all of life’s milestones and toasting to the good times. Whether it’s the familiar Caribbean shores of my homeland, Jamaica, or the vibrant streets of Notting Hill at Carnival. Wray & Nephew embodies the proud, bold spirit of the island; representing a deep love for the culture, and respect for the wider community.”